<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>A Friend by jarjarkinks</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27058435">A Friend</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jarjarkinks/pseuds/jarjarkinks'>jarjarkinks</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>SMCU [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action &amp; Romance, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Coming of Age, Dramatic Ass Teenagers, Family Issues, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Fandoms Not Mentioned in Tags, Slow Burn, Strangers to Friends</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:01:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,051</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27058435</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jarjarkinks/pseuds/jarjarkinks</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Getting involved with the superhero lifestyle was never Donghyuck’s intention as a person with superhuman abilities. Yet he finds his opinion begins to change after making an unlikely friend when he goes for a walk in the park.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>SMCU [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1975441</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Friend</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello! Thanks for clicking on this fic! </p><p>I'd like to give a special shoutout to my wonderful beta reader <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/nickyeol/pseuds/nickyeol">nickyeol</a> and my former university housemates who encouraged me to write and post this! &lt;3 </p><p>I hope you enjoy this ^^</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Donghyuck sighs, rubbing his hands against his face and sitting back against his chair. There is no use in trying to complete any studying right now. At least not when he can clearly hear his parents fighting downstairs. It was the same thing every night. “Where have you been?” his mom would ask. “I was on patrol,” his father would reply. “Why can’t you just be normal?” his mom would ask, though she would not outwardly say she does not believe him.</p><p>He flinches when his mom says the word normal. Normal was only a dream for him. He would never be normal because of his father, his father’s powers, his parent’s constant fighting, their dysfunctional relationship. Why couldn’t he have a normal family?</p><p>At times like this, he thinks about when his powers first surfaced, those times as a kid when he would hear his parents arguing, their shouts gradually getting louder. He was in his room either playing with some of his toys or on his bed, getting ready for sleep. Upon hearing them shouting rude words towards each other, he would feel his lip begin to quiver as his eyes welled up with tears. He was scared. His parents would always act like nothing was wrong in the morning, exchanging sweet smiles over breakfast, and asking him about his sleep.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>The day he first learnt about his superhuman abilities was when he was 8. He was putting together some shark puzzle he had gotten earlier in the week for his birthday. He had just finished piecing the border when he heard his parents from the next room. Their shouts gradually grew louder until the lightbulb in his room shattered and all of the lights in the house went out. He tensed up, his breathing picking up in pace.</p><p>Suddenly, some of the puzzle pieces began to rise from the floor along with some of his other toys in his toy box, the lid rattling as toys threatened to escape. He was shocked at first, unable to move a muscle. After growing out of his daze he crawled back to sit against the wall and shouted for his parents.</p><p>“Help! My toys are flying!”</p><p>No response.</p><p>“Mom! Dad!”</p><p>He screamed again, hoping they would hear him. He did not understand what was going on at the time. He did not know why the lightbulb exploded, why his toys were floating, who was making them float. He only knew he was scared.</p><p>Rapid footsteps approached from the hallway before his bedroom door swung open. Before his parents could say anything to him, the toys and puzzle pieces fell. His mother insisted he was seeing things since he was tired. Donghyuck could see that the color was gone from her face as soon as she saw the glass on the floor. His father’s mouth was set in a line, his brows furrowed. He did not say anything to calm Donghyuck down; he only excused himself with the excuse of getting a dustpan and broom to clean the mess. That night Donghyuck slept in his parents’ room, fearful that a ghost was haunting him.</p><p>The “ghost” followed him around when he found out his grandmother died. The “ghost” stopped the pieces of wet papers the bully at his school would shoot at him through milk straws. The “ghost” even stopped his dog from drowning. It had become a part of his life, happening more regularly as he got older. His “ghost” seemed to be awakened by his state of unrest—when he felt strong emotions.</p><p>He finally learnt what the “ghost” was when he was 13. He was home alone for the second time ever. He was glad that his parents finally trusted him enough to leave him at home when they went on a quick trip to the grocery store. He sat on the couch, Playstation controller in his hands and his full attention on the racing game on the TV. He ignored the sound of his back door creaking open and footsteps approaching. He figured his parents had returned from the store. He froze when he heard the voice of a man he did not recognize.</p><p>“Are you sure this is where Static lives?” the man very horribly whispered. Donghyuck paused his game. “Wouldn’t there be pictures of him?”</p><p>“Of course not. He is trying to keep a low profile,” a deeper raspy voice replied as the footsteps stopped in front of the living room where Donghyuck sat on the couch, wide eyed as he faced the other two men in the doorway, who were equally as shocked.</p><p>Donghyuck jumped off the couch, his body seemingly going on autopilot as he ran towards the nearest bedroom. The two men shouted something he did not quite hear before a snakelike arm pulled at his ankle, causing him to trip. The room fell silent as the three males heard a car approach the driveway.</p><p>Donghyuck yelled as loud as he could for his parents. His father rushed in, glowing bright yellow with seemingly full of energy. The man with the snake arm yelped as something zapped it. Donghyuck watched in fear as his father took on both men, when the “ghost” returned. A dictionary knocked the other man out while he father finished up with the man with a snake arm. After his father had left with the men and returned home, Donghyuck learnt that his “ghost” was his father’s superhuman abilities as well as his own. This was his first and last major confrontation with superhumans. He only ever saw them on TV.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>He sighs again, setting down his earphones. He twirls the pencil over his hand, the tool not once touching his hand. He allows the pencil to fall as he stands up, stretching his arms over his head. He has since learnt how to control his abilities to some degree. His father had explained that his abilities had not surfaced from thin air. He simply needed a catalyst to have them emerge to the surface before he could use them at will.</p><p>Both his parents’ fighting and his powers had always upset him but he had no one to share it with. Both his powers and his parents’ marital issues. Sure, he could tell his friends about how his parents fight, but he does not want to trouble them. Superhuman abilities, though? That is a no go. He can’t even trust them with that. They, too, would wonder why he is not “normal.”</p><p>He reaches over his desk for his keys before grabbing his navy hoody and some shoes. He lights his phone screen to check the time. It reads 6:38 PM and the battery indicator is red. He groans again. He plugs it in, opting not to take it since it was nearly dead from trying to drown out his parents by listening to music.</p><p>He quietly crosses the house, pausing for a few seconds in front of the TV as he slips on his shoes. The TV shows a video clip of a teenager his age in a blue bodysuit before showing an image of the boy’s masked face. The news lady praises his bravery. Donghyuck leaves before he can any more of her discussion of this “hero” and the recent animal testing in the city. He would rather not think of superhumans, nor their powers, or anything out of the ordinary. He exits through the house’s back door. Perhaps after he returns from a walk his parents would be back to their happy facade. He doubts it.</p><p>He walks along the sidewalk, allowing his body to take him anywhere. The sun, though already setting, beats down on him as he walks. It is almost summer vacation, so his grades matter especially now. Donghyuck approaches a park, nearly entirely abandoned. The only creatures in sight are the squirrels, who have taken over this park. He walked past the rusty metal playground to the bench. The unkempt grass pokes against his exposed calves as he approaches the seat.</p><p>He sits on the bench, looking up at the playground to take in the image of the abandoned park. As a child, he often came here with his parents and played with the other kids in his neighborhood. He broke his arm jumping from the slide; he twirled his entire body around the pullup bars; he timed himself to cross the monkey bars. This place held many memories for Donghyuck, happy memories with both of his parents.</p><p>He absentmindedly lifts the acorns from the ground from his seat. He raises them with the point of his finger. This allowed him to access his abilities more easily at will. He had learnt this skill on a walk with his father, who would take him on walks behind his mother’s back. She did not want him to learn to use his powers since she was afraid he would try to play hero like his father. She wanted him to be normal.</p><p>His attention is pulled from his thoughts as he hears the crunching of leaves. Peering down to the ground, he lands his gaze on a small, brown squirrel. He stands and squats, extending a hand forward and beckons the squirrel forward by tapping the ground. The squirrel inches forward, until it reaches his hand. It sniffs at his hand before it chomps down on his index finger. Donghyuck curses, holding his now bleeding finger with his other hand. He stands up and stomps his foot at the squirrel, red liquid running down his finger. He shoots the squirrel with a glare before speeding to the other side of the park to one of the park’s water fountains. The squirrel scurries away.</p><p>He washes off the blood from his finger when someone speaks up. “What are you doing out right now?”</p><p>“Huh?” Donghyuck turns to find a teen his age, wearing a mostly blue bodysuit with the image of a yellow arm over his chest and a yellow mask only covering his eyes. He recognizes him as Atlas, the teen from the news and a known superhuman in the city with crazy strength.</p><p>“Everyone in the town got a text notification to steer clear from this area.”</p><p>“Look...” Donghyuck starts before he is cut off by the other.</p><p>“Shh. Don’t talk so loudly. Let’s find a safer place to hide.”</p><p>“Are you serious?” Donghyuck asks as he is pulled behind the brick wall of the old park restroom.</p><p>Atlas furrows his eyebrows and does not respond. Atlas peers over the side of the wall, seemingly paranoid of whatever danger he thinks is out there.</p><p>“You are the one who walked up to me, telling me that I shouldn’t be out, and that I’m loud yet you’re here talking to me.”</p><p>“That’s because…” Atlas pauses mid-sentence, dropping his eye contact yet again to peek. Donghyuck sighs. He does not see the danger of hanging around the abandoned park. Yeah, the squirrels are a lot more aggressive than he remembers them being, but there is nothing else out there that can be more of a threat than the superhuman in front of him.</p><p>“That’s because you’re full of shit,” Donghyuck pulls his arm from the other’s grasp. “Bye.”</p><p>“Wait!”</p><p>Donghyuck stops, turning back. He does not know why he was entertaining the stranger, but whatever he says next better be good.</p><p>“Do you not see that oversized mutant squirrel?” The stranger looks behind the wall and points. He turns to face the other. “If you leave, you’re gonna get killed.”</p><p>Donghyuck bites back a snarky comment about being okay with dying. “Fine, I’ll stay here and you can do your weird hero thing.” He waves the other off, not bothering to look beyond the wall. This was truly just another day in the city. Some random guy in tights is trying to be more important than he is. Donghyuck thinks some of the squirrels are a little more plump but calling them oversized and mutant is a bit much even for him.</p><p>Atlas nods before jogging away from Donghyuck. Donghyuck squats on the floor to kill time since he is not sure when Atlas will tell him it is safe to leave. After a few minutes of plucking at strands of grass, he walks to the edge of the wall. His eyes grow wide as he sees a man-sized squirrel. Earlier he thought Atlas was trying to play hero with him against the aggressive squirrels. He moves back behind the wall, his breathing picking up in case. His throat feels like it is constricting.</p><p>He tries to count backwards to help steady his breathing. He tries to think of anything but the squirrel or any squirrels. Now that he pays attention to his surroundings, he notices both heavy stomping and loud but quick steps. Atlas said he would handle it, so Donghyuck hopes he truly will. The thought of someone else being there to grapple with the squirrel does calm him a little. His heart still feels like it could explode from his current anxious state, but he tries to regain his composure with deep breaths. He then inches to the edge of the wall to spy on the action.</p><p>Donghyuck thinks it is dumb to take the creature head on, but what does he know? He is not the one who put on some blue tight bodysuit to fight weird mutant creatures. Atlas is more experienced in that field and Donghyuck hopes that he has more knowledge about the weird situation.</p><p>He watches as Atlas swings at the giant squirrel, his fist missing the squirrel as it moves. Donghyuck wonders what he will do when he lands a successful punch. He will probably just anger or hurt it. By the looks of it, the only one who seems to have sustained any damage is Atlas. His hair is ruffled, some of it sticking to his now sweaty forehead. His cheeks have some color, likely from exertion, and from taking some hits from a massive squirrel.</p><p>Atlas manages to land a hit on the squirrel’s stomach; however, in return the squirrel swats him away. He tumbles a few steps back, tripping over the bench Donghyuck previously sat on. Donghyuck cringed. That had to hurt.</p><p>Atlas does not stand up immediately like Donghyuck expects. Donghyuck wonders if this is one of his fighting tactics. Atlas has insane strength. Did that include having a larger pain tolerance? Donghyuck does not exactly want to find out.</p><p>He taps at his chin as he tries to think up a good way to obtain the squirrels attention to buy the other teen some time to recover. He briefly considers using his telekinetic abilities, but he has never used them willingly in combat and does not know their full capabilities, nor does he want to gain any more attention from the other. He really does not want people to know.</p><p>However, his body seems to react before his mind. Time feels as though it stops for Donghyuck as he sprints over to the trees near the bench, launching a stick at the giant squirrel with the flick of a finger. The merely bounces off the creature’s head. The squirrel continues toward where it had pushed Atlas. Donghyuck then waves his hand to fling a rock and hides his body behind the tree.</p><p>Bulky footsteps approach him as he stands behind the tree, legs trembling slightly. He does not have a proper plan for when the squirrel does reach him.</p><p>There is a thud before the ground shakes. He lets out a breath he does not remember holding when he sees the massive squirrel on the ground from the corner of his eye. To his surprise, it looks like it is out cold.</p><p>Atlas walks up to the squirrel, nudging its face with his foot. “It’s knocked out.”</p><p>Donghyuck hesitantly comes out from behind the tree, still wary that the creature might be awake. He lets his guard down when Atlas lifts the creature.</p><p>“Do you normally almost get your ass kicked?” Donghyuck asks, hoping to sound more casual than he is. Honestly, he feels like he will pee himself right now. He has never met any superhumans aside from his father and his parents have done a good job of keeping him from harm’s way. Not to mention squirrels are not meant be to man-sized or aggressive.</p><p>“Occasionally.” Atlas scratches the back of his head sheepishly, adjusting the giant squirrel in his grasp. “Thanks for creating a distraction.”</p><p>“Don’t mention it,” Donghyuck says, hoping the other does not engage further. He wants this guy to leave with the squirrel so that he can walk home. At home, he can pretend he had a normal day.</p><p>“A costume doesn’t make a hero,” Atlas starts before Donghyuck cuts him off.</p><p>“Really. Don’t mention it.” Donghyuck cringes and gestures for him to stop speaking. He has never really liked receiving gratitude from others, and he does not want any thanks from some guy who runs around in superhero cosplay with corny one-liners.</p><p>“I mean it. Others think of people like me as some sort of immortal crime fighting beasts, but we do get hurt,” Atlas pauses. “And, you—a regular person—helped me. It means a lot.”</p><p>Donghyuck snorts. He is glad Atlas seems oblivious to the fact that he used his abilities earlier. If only he knew the truth.</p><p>“You are as human as I am,” Donghyuck says before the silence pans out any longer. The words feel heavier than he expected when he said them. Perhaps, that was what he wanted to hear— what he wants to hear when his mom discusses his father’s and his abilities.</p><p>“I guess.” Atlas shrugs, seemingly unaware of Donghyuck’s thoughts and the true meaning behind his words. “It’s still cool that you helped me out.”</p><p>“I was not about to let someone get their ass beat in front of me.” Donghyuck adds, dismissing the other’s words.</p><p>Atlas laughs. “Thanks.”</p><p>Donghyuck nods. Atlas adjusts the squirrel so that it is in both arms. The other superhuman waves at Donghyuck and heads toward the city.</p><p>Donghyuck watches as the other boy’s form retreats in the distance, deciding that he, too, should return home.</p><p>What a day.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Take a wild guess who Atlas is. </p><p>Thanks if you made it this far. Let me know your thoughts! Haha I haven't posted a fic since middle school and I just graduated university so I am very nervous. LOL </p><p>This fic is an exo fic (try guessing the OG pair if u can! haha) turned into a creative writing course project turned into an NCT fic LOL It's gone through lots of change since I started drafting in 2017. LOL </p><p>If you have any questions or want to know more about the lore of my NCT universe feel free to shoot me a dm on my <a href="http://twitter.com/nctzen69"> Twitter </a>or ask me on my <a href="https://curiouscat.qa/nctzen69"> CuriousCat </a>! Let's be friends!!!</p><p>Thank a ton!^^</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>